It’s high time someone stand up for officers of the Bellefontaine Police Department.

Some $14,000 has been raised to benefit Deirdre Romine, a Bellefontaine resident who lives below the poverty line at 1600 S. Detroit St., Apt. 21.

She was issued a summons Oct. 7 for stealing coins from the fountain in front of the Logan County Courthouse, and her story garnered state and national attention after some focus was given to her daily plight. She lives alone, suffers from a mental illness, faces eviction and, at least on the day in question, didn’t have anything to eat.

It was a sad story and one she was more than willing to share with a contributor to one local monthly publication.

An online donation page was set up in her name and contributions poured in faster than even the organizers likely could have predicted.

She’s been victimized, people believe, for “only” stealing $2.87. Therefore, her oppressor must be the BPD.

Lost amongst a groundswell of faux indignation surrounding Ms. Romine’s theft summons, is the reality that her behavior, in fact, necessitated a ticket and this whole mess has been blown entirely out of proportion.

Just two short years ago, an uprising began as a movement of the people to overcome an oppressive government.

When atrocities — such as the severe beating of Ali Ferzat that left the political cartoonist with both hands broken or the murder and removal of musician Ibrahim al-Qashoush’s vocal chords — it was apparent that the regime of President Bashar Assad was a nasty bunch that the world would be better without.

But over the course of the past two years, the people’s movement has grown into something much more difficult to support.

“What’s this?” my dad asked one day, somewhat annoyed as he stared at the mountains and mountains of books I had heaped on my bedroom floor. I was dusting, I explained, to clean the shelves all the way to the back instead of just brushing a paper towel or feather duster across the visibly dirty section. Understanding that I am an avid book lover, I told my dad, “my books deserved that.”

Doors, doors, doors ... Everywhere I go I see doors. I was amazed Sunday evening when I went out to shoot photos of the Logan County Cancer Society’s Doors of Encouragement display that downtown Bellefontaine was abuzz with people walking the streets.

“There once was a place called America,” our children’s children will one day write, “a bright and shining city on a hill, divinely placed by God to serve as a beacon of hope to the entire world. A land filled with generous-hearted souls who showered the needy the world over with their abundant blessings.”